12 Things From 2023
2023 was one of the worst years of my life (not the worst–that was 8th grade) and yet lots of good things still happened this year. Maybe it was the most dramatic year of my life, since every day seemed…
Category Personal
Personal Information
Rudolf Lanzendorfer (1939-2023)
RIP to my dad, Rudolf Lanzendorfer (1939-2023). My dad passed away this weekend from complications with cancer. It’s a very surreal feeling. I was/am a Daddy’s girl and we were very close. My dad was born in San Francisco in…
I’m A Master Gardener!
After five-months of practicums, weekly classes, and a grueling 100-question exam, I graduated from the Sonoma County Master Gardener program! Here I am with my … certificate? Degree? Anyway, I’m a Master Gardener now.
Kyle And I Have Been Married 20 Years!!
I have been married to Kyle Rankin for 20 years! I can’t believe it. Much of our marriage is recorded on this site. He is the best, my best friend, the best father, the best husband. We went to Paris…
Hello 2020!
Hello 2020! For the first day of the new year, I took a falconry lesson on a cliff in La Jolla, California. A lanner falcon swooped through the air and landed on my arm while the ocean crashed below and…
We Bought A Camper Van
Kyle’s dream has come true. We bought a camper van. It’s a 1996 Roadtrek Popular 170. Here’s the inside:
2017 Was A Dumb Year, Hello 2018!
While everyone was moaning about 2016, personally it was a great year for me. But 2017 was pretty dumb. Just before Christmas, Kyle’s grandmother Ruth passed away. We just came back from her funeral in Kentucky. For much of the…
Germany and Austria Trip 2017 Part 2: Castles
While in Fussen, Germany, we visited Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, which were the homes of Mad King Ludwig. The history is fascinating. It’s well worth the side trip to see these castles, which were built in the 1870s. Personally, I…
Germany and Austria Trip 2017 Part 1: Germany
This summer we went to Germany and Austria for vacation. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. It was also really long, so I’ll split it up in a few posts and try to touch upon the…
Kitchen Is Done!
We have successfully remodeled our kitchen. This is something we’ve wanted to do for nine years, since moving into this house in 2007. Here’s what the kitchen used to look like: As you can see, the kitchen that came with…
Kitchen Cabinets In
How did you spend your weekend? Aside from a hike in the local park, I spent it putting my stuff away in my new kitchen cabinets. Here they are, along with the muscular harvest of the last of the 2016…
Here’s What’s Going On With Me
* Along with several other writers, I answered this Q&A question on Howlarium: How does your partner handle those periods when you need to be in your head, be alone to talk to yourself, to lament the latest publisher’s rejection,…